Senthilbalaji case: No intention to malign, ED tells city court
CHENNAI: The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against former minister V Senthilbalaji is not registered with any malign intent, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) said in a statement before a sessions court in the city.
The principal judge of the sessions court S Alli, heard the jailed former minister Senthilbalaji’s petition to discharge him from the PMLA case.
Karthik Dasari, the central agency’s Deputy Director, filed a counter-petition objecting to the discharge petition. The ED submitted that the case registered against Senthilbalaji is based on the material evidence and there is no vindictive motive behind the case. The agency also pointed out that the Madras High Court (MHC) had earlier dismissed Senthilbalaji’s bail pleas twice. Observing that there are proceeds of crime for the job racket, the high court insisted on the completion of the trial within three months, added the ED. It submitted that the agency is ready to commence the trial and said that the discharge petition is not maintainable. The counsel for Senthilbalaji sought adjourned.
Observing that the MHC had directed the ED to complete the trial of the PMLA case within three months, the judge adjourned the matter to March 6 for further submission. The principal sessions court also extended the judicial custody of Senthilbalaji till March 6.
The former minister was produced before the principal sessions judge through a video conference from the Puzhal central prison. Recording the appearance, the judge extended the judicial custody.
The ED arrested Senthibalaji, from his residence in Chennai, in a PMLA case in connection with an alleged cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in the then AIADMK regime last year. The same day, Senthilbalaji was sent to judicial custody.
Subsequently, he underwent major surgery for the complaint of coronary artery blockage and later he was shifted to the Puzhal prison. Later Senthilbalaji was produced before the sessions court in Chennai on August 12 and the ED submitted a charge sheet of about 200 pages and 3000 pages of documents related to the investigation in a sealed cover.